1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a collar for a garment and to a hood and collar assembly for a garment, as well as to a garment incorporating such collar or such hood-collar assembly.
More particularly, the invention is directed to a collar, a hood-collar assembly, and a garment incorporating such collar or hood-collar assembly, particularly in the case in which the garment is an outerwear garment such as a jacket. The invention is further directed to weather protection garments such as water-proof, water-resistant, and/or rain-resistant garments, as well as wind-proof or wind resistant garments, for which advantages of the collar and of the hood-collar assembly according to the invention are particularly important when incorporated therein.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Garments of the aforementioned type most often use fabrics showing at least a certain degree of water repellency and, more particularly, at least a certain degree of imperviousness to liquid water. On the other hand, it is advantageous to use fabrics which, while being resistant to the ingression of liquid water (such as rain) from the outside towards the inside of the garment, allow water vapour to escape from the inside toward the outside of the garment. Such fabrics are known as breathable water-resistant fabrics.
When designing such protective garments, it is desirable to achieve a lightweight and compact construction, without compromising either the performance (especially in terms of protection) or the durability or the comfort of the garment. It is also desirable to seek an aesthetically pleasing construction, the details of which shall remain the least visible. Another significant aspect is that the cost of the construction shall remain acceptable.
Collars, especially collars for jackets, are usually made of at least an outer collar layer and an inner collar layer, each made of one or several fabric panels, and which are stitched together along their peripheries. When a hood is attached to the collar, it is frequently attached to the outer collar layer, along a connecting zone which is positioned between a top edge and a bottom edge of the layer, and at a distance from both edges.
An example of a jacket with such a type of hood-collar assembly is described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,963, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
In such a construction, each of the inner and outer layers of the collar is free to move relative to the other along their entire facing area, except at their peripheral edges. Especially, they can move away from each other along a direction perpendicular to their respective general planes. This means that, in use, especially the inner layer can exhibit an irregular inner surface with localized bumps or wrinkles. These bumps and wrinkles tend to come very frequently into contact with the user's neck or with other apparel items worn by the user under the jacket. Such frequent contact can be a source of discomfort and can cause rapid wear of the inner layer. Moreover, since the collar is basically attached only to the outer panel, the weight of the hood and every movement of the hood can cause a distortion of the outer layer which is usually made of relatively flexible material. Here again, durability and comfort may be hindered by such construction.